Abakaliki—Ebonyi State government, yesterday, said it was planning mass immunisation campaign across local governments as a way of tackling the outbreak of yellow fever in the state.

It further announced that it would organise the campaign with all United Nations agencies and other partners against the virus.

• Success in halting the spread of the wild polio virus through immunisation is one of the significant milestones in Nigeria’s health history since independence.

The mass immunisation is for residents aged between nine months and 44 years.

He added that those above the ages would get immunisation booster.

Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, explained that International Coordinating Group, ICG, has been contacted for the mass immunisation campaign.

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“Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, declared there is an outbreak of yellow fever and reactivated the national rapid response team, comprising NCDC, NAPHCDA and WHO on August 1 to support our state.

“Ebonyi has recorded nine positive cases, with two deaths. We still have six patients on admission: three in Ndingele, one in Iboko General Hospital and two in Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

“The index case has been successfully mana-ged and discharged from MDG Ndingele.”